Pre-Alaska

           Our Alaska planning was probably the worst planning I have ever done. At first my heart wasn't really in it. The trip was a last minute replacement to a trip that we both really wanted to go on which was already a replacement trip for our originally planned vacation to Ireland. Although, Alaska has always been a place I have dearly wanted to go, I was bummed about the other trips, and so busy that it was hard to find time to sit and think through options to determine a course of action. The few times Chris and I sat down together, it seemed we were not on the same sheet of music. It wasn't that he wanted to do things different than I wanted to do. It was more like nothing seemed to appeal to him. The only thing we could agree on was eating. We both love good food. So, early on in the planning process we settled on where we would have dinner every night of the trip, even to the point of having reservations 3 of the nights. We also chose, in advance, one breakfast place as it was recommended by a friend. Our choices for eating dictated where we would be and thus our activities and our lodging selections. We were able to use Chris' airline miles and some vouchers from delayed flights to get our flights virtually free. I was a tad upset when he wouldn't spring the extra miles to upgrade me to 1st class. I have never flown 1st class, but since he flies ALL THE TIME, he is automatically upgraded nearly every flight (or at least whenever possible). ** pay attention because this will come up again later ** We were also able to use his Rental Car miles for a free car, and his hotel points (Marriott and Hilton) for all but 3 of our nights there. The other three nights we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast, and at a Army MWR facility. The only other thing we planned ahead was one tour which was supposed to be 5 hours of off road jeep excursion and 2 ours on ATV's, which really turned out to be an abysmal disappointment (more on that later). We did learn from our one tour, that they sell you way more than they give you (which we really already knew) which is why we really aren't tour people to begin with and won't ever make that mistake again.

            As our trip to Alaska approached, I resolved, if nothing else, to relax and leave the busy hectic life behind. Unfortunately, Chris' work schedule dictated that I essentially do all the preparation in the weeks prior to our relaxing vacation. I had to prepare: Our bags for 7 days in Alaska to include hiking gear, camping gear, and clothing for a nice dinner out. I also had to pack for 3 kids to go to my parents house for that time, and prepare the house, yard, Russell, and the dogs, for the rest of us to be gone for 14 days. Additionally, I had to make running clothes for us to take with us to D.C. after Alaska, as Chris, Zeke, and I were to run/hike 100.1 miles between 1 and 11 Aug. Of course, I couldn't do ZERO school work with the kids, over a two week period, just 5 weeks into our school term, so I had to determine what I wanted to take with us and organize all of that too. All in all this meant a lot of packing, sorting, cleaning, lawn work, pool prep, shopping etc. . . By the time I got up to drive, straight through, from FL to OH, just me and the three kids, three bikes, and all our packed stuff. . . . I was truly ready for that vacation. Miraculously, and thankfully, it was the most uneventful and stress free long distance drive that I have made in a very long time.